


"I’m sorry, I didn’t know"

by yikesola



Series: fmdin2020 [15]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, First Meetings, M/M, non-youtuber au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:53:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28395678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yikesola/pseuds/yikesola
Summary: Dan checks his fringe in the reflection of the train window. It’s not a very clear image, but he can tell enough that the careful straightening he had done before leaving Manchester is still holding.A fic about risks and lip rings.
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Series: fmdin2020 [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995946
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	"I’m sorry, I didn’t know"

**Author's Note:**

> Fic Most Days in November*, Dialogue Prompt: I’m sorry, I didn’t know
> 
> *and yes december too, fight me

Dan checks his fringe in the reflection of the train window. It’s not a very clear image, but he can tell enough that the careful straightening he had done before leaving Manchester is still holding. 

He catches sight of the metallic glint near the left side of his bottom lip. It’s the only thing he can look at for a minute; it seems so obvious, like a giant flashing light arrow is pointing at him. He’s aware that is only because he knows the lip ring doesn’t belong there. He figures the only opinions other people are giving him about it are the old ladies with good Christian minds like his Nana who tut when they see it, and most everyone else who thinks nothing at all. 

Especially as the train continues making its way towards York and with each stop there are fewer and fewer people in the compartment with him. Eventually it’s just him and one other guy a few seats away, who Dan keeps stealing glances at. 

He looks cool. Way cooler than Dan. His fringe is actually doing that thing Dan is always trying to get his to do, where it just lays blocky and flat. He’s hunched like he doesn’t care who sees him and tapping aggressively at his phone. Dan figures he’s probably texting someone he’ll meet at the end of this train ride. Some fit girl who also looks like she just won a _Myspace’s Hottest_ poll the way this guy totally could. Or a friend who gives a shit about him— go figure, the way like… _friends_ are supposed to— making plans for that night. 

Dan almost feels like he’s looking at a blurred reflection again. Only this time instead of looking at the light bouncing off the train window, he’s looking at this guy. 

Almost him. But… also not him. 

A clearly correct version of him, although he admittedly has no reason to think that other than a few observations and the bias of his own self-loathing. 

And he apparently looks too long, because the birdnest of a head moves and looks up and catches Dan’s eye. Dan tries to look away, tries to fiddle with his phone, tries to look casual. But when his eyes wander back to the other side of the compartment, the guy is still looking. 

Sometimes Dan gets a little reckless. Sometimes there’s something he wants very badly, and it’s right in front of him, and he can’t help but reach out for it. 

It’s always a mistake when he does that. It always blows up in his face. But he can’t help it; he reaches out anyways. 

“Hey,” he says. His voice is crackly because he hasn’t used it since that morning when he called out a goodbye to the friend of a friend who let him crash on her couch during University of Manchester’s campus tour. So he clears his throat and tries again. “We’re the last two standing.” 

The guy jumps at Dan’s words, like it wasn’t expected even if the rattle of the rail kept things from being quiet. “We’re… sitting,” he said. 

“Got me there,” Dan laughs. The laughter gives him some unearned confidence. “Why don’t you sit next to me, if we’re both gonna be sitting.” 

He doesn’t expect it to actually work. He doesn’t expect the guy to grab his messenger bag and hoodie and shuffle with that back-and-forth of the train over to the table for four Dan claimed for himself. He especially doesn’t expect the guy to have a little pink in his cheeks when he says, “I’m Phil.” 

*

This guy is way too cool to be having a conversation with Phil. And Phil is utterly terrified that he’s going to realize that any moment now. 

He’s got a cool jacket that Phil could never pull off, and a lip ring he keeps getting caught staring at. Phil just can’t help it— a lip ring! He wants to know what it would feel like against his lips. Maybe he also wants to know what it would feel like against his—

Okay so he’s too tired from having to catch an early train back to uni and it’s making his brain horny and dumb. But at least he hasn’t said any of this out loud yet.

Until he fucking does. 

“Did that hurt?” Phil asks, pointing to his own bottom lip. 

Dan swallows the sip of beer he’d bought and shakes his head. That’s another thing! He bought Phil a beer. Way too cool considering Phil’s go-to drink is whatever is sweet enough to drown out any hint of alcohol. 

“Oh,” Dan shakes his head again. “It uhh… it’s not real.” 

“What?” Phil laughs. 

He watches astonished as Dan pulls the half-circle from his lip and proves it. The slight edge of disappointment thinking he won’t find out how a lip ring feels… places… is covered by the fact that Dan’s smile is just as potent without it. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” he says. 

“It’s not a toupée,” Dan laughs, “it’s from the Hot Topic clearance bin.” 

Phil likes making Dan laugh. He likes that he’s able to keep doing it until the train pulls into York. 

“Wanna split a cab?” Dan asks while they both gather their bags.

Phil has no intention of saying no.

*

There’s the entire space of the middle seat between them. Yet Dan could swear he feels Phil’s energy radiating towards him and off the foggy windows of the cab. They keep chatting as the car makes it way towards the university. It’s easy to chat with Phil— unfairly easy for Dan to chat with someone so fit. But he’s not gonna look a gift hottie in the mouth. 

It’s drizzling when they are dropped off one block from Phil’s place and four blocks from the friend Dan is staying with for the weekend. 

Phil had given an enthusiastic recommendation for Dan to choose York over Manchester; even offered to give Dan a tour of the campus. “You never see anything important on the proper tours,” Phil says. “I can show you where the non-metally-tasting water fountains are.” 

“That _is_ crucial knowledge,” Dan said. He scribbles his phone number on a scratch piece of paper then starts half-jogging away before Phil can notice how his hair has curled. 

It takes two excruciating hours before Phil texts him. 

_Hey I just want to make sure I didn’t get the wrong impression or anything. I’m gay, but if you just gave me your phone number as like a straight bro thing to do that’s cool too_

Dan almost chokes on the fake lip ring he’d been fiddling with while waiting for the pizza his friend ordered to arrive. 

The almost-choke is followed by an almost-squeal, because the fit guy he’d been too afraid to hope could be into guys as well is actually texting him. Her starts typing a response and tries to keep his cool. _i have no idea what straight bros do actually_

 _Same lol_ , Phil texts back. _So tomorrow for the tour?_

Dan looks out the window and sees that the rain has let up. His re-straightened hair should hold up for all of ten seconds, if he’s lucky. And that pizza had only been ordered about ten minutes ago. 

Some of the recklessness creeps back into Dan’s bones. It’d gone so well last time, after all. 

_how about tonight?_ he texts. 

_Get you back for the train beers?_

_deal :]_

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading— come say hi on [tumblr](http://yikesola.tumblr.com/post/638798165057896448/im-sorry-i-didnt-know) !

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] "I'm sorry, I didn't know"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28785900) by [yikesola](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yikesola/pseuds/yikesola)




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